The Russian Federation says it is watching with concern the rapidly worsening situation on the left bank of the Dniester due to the lack of Russian gas since January 1. A statement published by the Russian Embassy in Moldova says that the main cause of the crisis in the region is the deliberate ignoring by the Chisinau authorities of the numerous problems in relations with Gazprom. The Russian authorities also accuse Kiev of a "destructive policy", IPN reports.
The diplomatic mission's statement says that because the Ukrainian side refused to extend the transit of Russian gas through its territory, Gazprom has been deprived of the technical and legal possibility to supply gas, including to the Transnistrian region. According to the statement, Kiev has cynically left hundreds of thousands of people without gas and hot water.
The Russian embassy accuses the media in Chisinau and Kiev of similarly cynically trying to shift responsibility for the energy crisis onto Russia. Specifically, they are allegedly publishing false and manipulative material that Moscow has abandoned Tiraspol.
"We note with certainty that the situation on the Left Bank was artificially created collectively by the West and Ukraine. There should be no doubt in anyone's mind: the protection of Russian citizens and compatriots is an absolute foreign policy priority," the embassy's statement added.
Contacted by IPN, representatives of the Foreign Ministry's press relations office said they would react later.
Gas supplies to the Transnistrian region have been halted since January 1 by a decision of the Russian Gazprom, which has claimed that it owed 709 million dollars in unpaid debts, an amount unconfirmed by Chisinau. The Moldovan leadership accused the Kremlin of energy blackmail.
